I always start with the battery and connections. Problems there will make you think it is in the bendix or starter.

Second is cleaning and lubing the starter drive gears. I seal the bottom vent and run a new vent up to the air box--much cleaner. Some put oil in the stator case. I have tried this but don't recommend it.

Other problems can occur with the bushings for the bendix, intermediate/crownwheel gear, bendix failures.

Finally there are starter failures. The pre 2013 starters are undersized. Brush and armature failures are common. I have had mixed success rebuilding. The 2013 starters are worth the extra $.

Slavens Racing carries all the parts. KTMTalk has lots to read on the subject.

if you use that kickstand like its strong enough to lean on to kick the bike,it will break right then.
Its a 1 lb alu kickstand. It will ONLY hold the bike up,nothing else.

Ive had 0 of them break on KTM's since 1996,broke a bolt on one once.
You just dont stress them hard. I use a tree when possible.

If its a loaded for camping 530 a stronger kickstand is needed.

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I don't buy KTM's to coddle 'em. The kickstand is pathetically out of keeping with the remainder of the brilliantly designed and executed machine; indeed, there are at least three aftermarket kickstands readily available for it. That sad fact doesn't speak especially convincingly to the stocker's adequacy; for that matter, neither does the considerable upgrade to the bikes that currently stand on show room floors. Without help.

In my view, KTM makes the best off-road bikes in the world; but that kickstand is like a pimple on Alizee's nose.

My 13 TE300 has been annoying me lately. Aside from the fact that i love the damn thing to death and it far surpasses my riding abilities but is gentle enough to not try to kill me for it. But the e start has been kaputt since 10 hours in (at 30 now) and it seems that my countershaft seal has been leaking this whole time. As far as i can tell, the bendix is what needs to be replaced, but i hesitate handig over the money for a replacement if it's just going to break again. How KTM managed to screw up a bendox design is beyond me. As far as the cs seal, i dunno. Probably should expect to replace this a lot eh?

Sent from my Tandy 1000 mobile using DOS

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That is a common problem. It is usually the oring placed under the steel bushing. Be very careful that there is absolutely no dirt in there when you put a new oring in.

I wrestled with the 350 watt starter on my friend's bike for a year, yada, yada, yada . . .

IMHO, KTM out of common decency, should have sent everyone with a magic button 300 a shiny new 410w starter. But then they should also send everyone with an orange bike a kick stand worthy of the name.

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Well from reading through that thread, everyone's pointing towards the '13 starting assembly... which is great except my bike's a '13 as well. Unless it was more than just the frame that was taken from the '12 KTM's over to the '13 bergs.

As far as the CS seal, I've read where people but in a thicker cross section O-ring to keep the thing from leaking. I'm just not sure where to source said O-ring. I know it's not my chain being too tight, I run it loosey goosey (not too loose but my big 4 buddies always get worried that my chain is about to fall off.) Just a bit annoyed that it's leaking in the first place, seeing as how last weekend was the first time that area of the bike was introduced to mud and the like in the first place. Otherwise its been dusty, but otherwise clean air.

Well from reading through that thread, everyone's pointing towards the '13 starting assembly... which is great except my bike's a '13 as well. Unless it was more than just the frame that was taken from the '12 KTM's over to the '13 bergs.

As far as the CS seal, I've read where people but in a thicker cross section O-ring to keep the thing from leaking. I'm just not sure where to source said O-ring. I know it's not my chain being too tight, I run it loosey goosey (not too loose but my big 4 buddies always get worried that my chain is about to fall off.) Just a bit annoyed that it's leaking in the first place, seeing as how last weekend was the first time that area of the bike was introduced to mud and the like in the first place. Otherwise its been dusty, but otherwise clean air.

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Moose racing sells a rebuild kit that comes with both a stock sized o-ring and an oversized o-ring. I can never get the c-clip to seat with the oversized ring in place, but the stock sized one fits perfect and hasn't leaked in about a year of use. Maybe since it is aftermarket the stock sized one is slightly oversized as well, or the spacer is... YMMV

I don't buy KTM's to coddle 'em. The kickstand is pathetically out of keeping with the remainder of the brilliantly designed and executed machine; indeed, there are at least three aftermarket kickstands readily available for it. That sad fact doesn't speak especially convincingly to the stocker's adequacy; for that matter, neither does the considerable upgrade to the bikes that currently stand on show room floors. Without help.

In my view, KTM makes the best off-road bikes in the world; but that kickstand is like a pimple on Alizee's nose.

Yo, but to each his own.

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If you wanna break the kickstands its not a problem,I know guys who have broken several. Its built to be light and minimal like a racebike. Ive gotten used to it and dont seem to have a problem with the flimsy things. Some guys even use the OEM rubber band thingie to hold the kickstand tighter and not wear its bushing/bolt out.

My DR650 I can lift the whole bike and spin it around on the kickstand,it weighs 400lbs minimum,its a tank and built like a tank.

The new KTM's are so much better then even the 6 year older models its hard to compare em,but lots of guys just want to chug around in the woods on a dirtbike,for that most any bike will work. Even at age 56 I still want to play racer when I ride,I like the new 300 a lot.

I always start with the battery and connections. Problems there will make you think it is in the bendix or starter.

Second is cleaning and lubing the starter drive gears. I seal the bottom vent and run a new vent up to the air box--much cleaner. Some put oil in the stator case. I have tried this but don't recommend it.

Other problems can occur with the bushings for the bendix, intermediate/crownwheel gear, bendix failures.

Finally there are starter failures. The pre 2013 starters are undersized. Brush and armature failures are common. I have had mixed success rebuilding. The 2013 starters are worth the extra $.

Slavens Racing carries all the parts. KTMTalk has lots to read on the subject.

FWIW

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KTM makes a big deal about the 2014 battery/starter changes,so they are slightly different then the 13's I guess?

KTM makes a big deal about the 2014 battery/starter changes,so they are slightly different then the 13's I guess?

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As far as I can tell the starter and battery is the same on the '14 250 & 300 as it was in '13, that's when the 410w starter came out. However, they really didn't make a big deal out of the 410w starter when it came out even though it was a huge improvement over the 2012 and previous starters. I think they learned from that mistake and are now doing a better job of talking up that change. I did install a 2013 410w starter on my '12 300xc-w and it made all the difference, and I already had a Ballistic Lithium battery. Got it from my local KTM dealer (Lake Cycle in Grand Haven Michigan) for $250 otd. I also sealed the magneto cover, did not vent, added 50cc's of 10w fork oil and so far I'm golden.

So, anyone want a good 350w starter ~ really cheap??

As for the kick stand, I'm 5'7" (170) so I used the kick stand every time my bike was cold (until the 410w starter install) to start my bike. I do not recommend this but I had to, and despite my blatant abuse the stand is not showing any signs of wear, it folds in just as nice as ever. So I'm not seeing the wear or breaking that others have. I'm sure that I could break it if I tried, but then I'd have to always find a tree when ever I wanted to take a break. So instead I've taken it easy for the past 2 years and have had zero problems.

Putting a basic top end in a KTM 4 stroke isnt so bad,its more the issue with taking it further down the road and wearing out a crank or the head/trans or both and realizing it costs more to fix then the bike is now worth.
2 friends have gone this route and once 1 realized he had over 20 grand in fixes that didnt take on his 525 it was sold for parts. He blew 1 engine to bits,bought another whole engine,it blew. Rebuilt it and couldnt trust it after that.

Just dont want to keep em TOO long,or ride em too much.

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Like any machine, maintenance is critical. My 450 top end (bunches of new parts) is going to run $600. I could keep riding it a few more years, then suffer a catastrophic falure that would cost thousand$ to fix.

BTW, it intake valves had turned into pizza cutters. That explains the valve adjustments that were required every 500 miles. Taking ADVice, I bought some kibblewhites to put in. While I could reuse the exhaust valves, I picked up new OEM valves. Saving a couple hundred $$ on a top end rebuild isn't worth the risk of a ruined ride in the future. If you're out on a 3 day adventure that has been weeks or months in the making, can you put a price on lost riding time?

Another pet peeve is folks doing performance mod's on engines. For a few hundred more, I could purchase a 525 jug. While it would certainly be more fun on the roads, it would ruin trail manners and could do nothing but shorten the life of the bottom end.

I have a road racer friend that bought a 525 and immediately put in hot cams, HC piston, etc. He kept blowing up the engine. Put your money into improving the suspension before trying to eek out a few more HP at the upper end of the RPM.

Like any machine, maintenance is critical. My 450 top end (bunches of new parts) is going to run $600. I could keep riding it a few more years, then suffer a catastrophic falure that would cost thousand$ to fix.

BTW, it intake valves had turned into pizza cutters. That explains the valve adjustments that were required every 500 miles. Taking ADVice, I bought some kibblewhites to put in. While I could reuse the exhaust valves, I picked up new OEM valves. Saving a couple hundred $$ on a top end rebuild isn't worth the risk of a ruined ride in the future. If you're out on a 3 day adventure that has been weeks or months in the making, can you put a price on lost riding time?

Another pet peeve is folks doing performance mod's on engines. For a few hundred more, I could purchase a 525 jug. While it would certainly be more fun on the roads, it would ruin trail manners and could do nothing but shorten the life of the bottom end.

I have a road racer friend that bought a 525 and immediately put in hot cams, HC piston, etc. He kept blowing up the engine. Put your money into improving the suspension before trying to eek out a few more HP at the upper end of the RPM.

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As for the RFSs it's RPMs that kill them. Causes crank spreading, premature big end and main bearing wear and greatly accelerates the wear in the intake valves, any of which can explode the motor if not addressed.

There's nothing wrong with a mild compression bump and a reasonable cam to go along with it, done correctly the dynamic compression remains fairly close to stock but with a significant boost in midrange torque and HP with a very slight loss off idle. As long as the RPMs remain in the sweet spot the motor will suffer very little loss in longevity and reliability, esp with kibblewhites. Hot cams are notorious for putting the torque curve high in the powerband well beyond what the heavy RFS crank can handle for any extended period. The KTM 806 cam coupled with a 12.1 compression ratio is a great combo with little added stress and has proven to be very reliable. It's only a .6 bump in compression is almost evened out with the slightly larger overlap. It's all about doing it correctly and not exceeding any one parameter beyond the motor's capability. Lots of guys think big cam = HP, usally it ruins the powerband and provides a very minor HP increase at an RPM range that's unrealistic.

Anyone have experience with Tusk products? I am looking at their foot pegs for my 300. How's the quality? I have IMS pegs on my XRR and have been happy with em, the Fast Way pegs on my bosses 530 are awesome but cost way to much. The Tusk pegs kinda look like they are some where in between the IMS and FastWays? Also interested in their throttle cable and shifter for spares.

I couldn't pull the trigger on the peg's. I got the Tusk shifter($17) and throttle cable+4"($10) ordered up. We shall see how the quality is on the small parts before springing for the spendy stuff.

Awhile back I had posted about the bad experience I had with KTM Hutt and was searching for a good KTM parts retailer. Since then I have ordered parts with Rocky Mountain ATV a few times now and have been very pleased. Orders have taken 2-3 day's to arrive(O.E. parts included, not just aftermarket stuff).

Anyone have experience with Tusk products? I am looking at their foot pegs for my 300. How's the quality? I have IMS pegs on my XRR and have been happy with em, the Fast Way pegs on my bosses 530 are awesome but cost way to much. The Tusk pegs kinda look like they are some where in between the IMS and FastWays? Also interested in their throttle cable and shifter for spares.

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Tusk stuff is probably alright,I know its not flashy or neat but many top pros and fast experts use oem KTM footpegs,they are just strong good footpegs,wide enough to work.
I sharpen mine a little from time to time,not real sharp,just enough to give some grab.

As far as I can tell the starter and battery is the same on the '14 250 & 300 as it was in '13, that's when the 410w starter came out. However, they really didn't make a big deal out of the 410w starter when it came out even though it was a huge improvement over the 2012 and previous starters. I think they learned from that mistake and are now doing a better job of talking up that change. I did install a 2013 410w starter on my '12 300xc-w and it made all the difference, and I already had a Ballistic Lithium battery. Got it from my local KTM dealer (Lake Cycle in Grand Haven Michigan) for $250 otd. I also sealed the magneto cover, did not vent, added 50cc's of 10w fork oil and so far I'm golden.

So, anyone want a good 350w starter ~ really cheap??

As for the kick stand, I'm 5'7" (170) so I used the kick stand every time my bike was cold (until the 410w starter install) to start my bike. I do not recommend this but I had to, and despite my blatant abuse the stand is not showing any signs of wear, it folds in just as nice as ever. So I'm not seeing the wear or breaking that others have. I'm sure that I could break it if I tried, but then I'd have to always find a tree when ever I wanted to take a break. So instead I've taken it easy for the past 2 years and have had zero problems.

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Your lucky,Ive never seen anyone use a KTM kickstand for kickstarting more then a few times,they snap easy.

Im not too sure having a non vented mag cover is the way to go,they are vented for a reason,condensation happens in there,hot engine thrashing through cold creeks,etc. Condensation can sit and corrode/rust expensive ignition parts. It happened on my 96 300EXC and killed the ignition.

I can see where running the vent up high somewhere to keep it clean in there is a good thing.

I wonder does KTM lube the starter gears? Does it end up bathing the ignition in fork oil when you add your 50cc?

Like any machine, maintenance is critical. My 450 top end (bunches of new parts) is going to run $600. I could keep riding it a few more years, then suffer a catastrophic falure that would cost thousand$ to fix.

BTW, it intake valves had turned into pizza cutters. That explains the valve adjustments that were required every 500 miles. Taking ADVice, I bought some kibblewhites to put in. While I could reuse the exhaust valves, I picked up new OEM valves. Saving a couple hundred $$ on a top end rebuild isn't worth the risk of a ruined ride in the future. If you're out on a 3 day adventure that has been weeks or months in the making, can you put a price on lost riding time?

Another pet peeve is folks doing performance mod's on engines. For a few hundred more, I could purchase a 525 jug. While it would certainly be more fun on the roads, it would ruin trail manners and could do nothing but shorten the life of the bottom end.

I have a road racer friend that bought a 525 and immediately put in hot cams, HC piston, etc. He kept blowing up the engine. Put your money into improving the suspension before trying to eek out a few more HP at the upper end of the RPM.

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Yeah a stock 450 or 525/530 makes enough power really. A friend put in a thumper racing 570 kit and the piston split right down the middle with very few hours on it,way out in the middle of nowhere in Nevada. Bummer.

By chance I have a set of 05 525 cases for sale,a fresh cylinder head for same,and a freshly rebuilt welded crank. Just in case anybody's looking.

I couldn't pull the trigger on the peg's. I got the Tusk shifter($17) and throttle cable+4"($10) ordered up. We shall see how the quality is on the small parts before springing for the spendy stuff.

Awhile back I had posted about the bad experience I had with KTM Hutt and was searching for a good KTM parts retailer. Since then I have ordered parts with Rocky Mountain ATV a few times now and have been very pleased. Orders have taken 2-3 day's to arrive(O.E. parts included, not just aftermarket stuff).

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Munn racing is a good place to order KTM stuff,Ive heard they're fast at getting things out.

Yeah a stock 450 or 525/530 makes enough power really. A friend put in a thumper racing 570 kit and the piston split right down the middle with very few hours on it,way out in the middle of nowhere in Nevada. Bummer.

By chance I have a set of 05 525 cases for sale,a fresh cylinder head for same,and a freshly rebuilt welded crank. Just in case anybody's looking.

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It's all according to what your used to. I sold an XR650R and picked up a 525exe for DS, the exe felt a little tame compared to the XRR but the KTM is all over the Honda for ergos, weight and handling. I'm doing the top-end on it right now, it's going back together with a 540cc/833 cam, should be good for about 50HP - a 5500' alt loss. Not too worried about the longevity, the RFS was originally designed to be a 540 and was down-sized late in the design phase based on feedback from the US distributors. They still released the 540 but it was the Sumo.

I just ordered some parts from http://www.ktmpartshouse.com/ mentioned earlier in this thread. They had Munn's prices beat by a pretty good margin. Free shipping over $150